New WhatsApp feature lets you draw on photos

Steven Chisholm

A new feature being rolled out on messaging service WhatsApp will allow users to draw on pictures, aping functionality available from rival snapchat.

The update - out today on Android phones, but still pending on iOS - will allow users to unleash their inner artist by drawing with their fingers, as well as superimposing emojis, over images taken on their camera phone.

“Whether you’re drawing a big red heart to show how much you miss someone or adding your favorite emoji - sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words,” wrote WhatsApp in a blog post yesterday.

The update also adds zoom functionality and allows users to take advantage of their phone’s front-facing flash when taking pictures through the app itself.

The new function is the latest of several updates in recent months from the Facebook-owned company as they seek to consolidate their position with users.